The present invention relates to a water collecting device with a collecting bowl, with means for fastening it, and with an actuating lever, pivotably mounted in the inside of the collecting bowl, for a watering valve, particularly for small animals, such as baby chicks. The watering valve is connected on one end to a water pipe and on its free end has a valve stem for actuating the watering valve; this stem moves when the actuating lever is moved.
With a known conventional watering device for small animals, a watering valve is screwed into the wall of a water line from below and a collecting bowl at its bottom is screw-fastened to the watering valve. The watering valve must be especially adapted to this purpose (by being threaded) and is continually exposed to the danger of being destroyed (wrecked) by the external load of the collecting bowl. When breeding small animals, particularly baby chicks, it has been found that the known watering device is impractical to handle and is difficult to clean because of the relatively unfavorable solubility of the collecting bowls. This and other shortcomings during breeding lead to a large number of premature animal deaths.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a water collecting device of the above type which can be used with any not especially adapted watering valve, of any type and dimension, which comprises a few inexpensive and easily handled parts, and which makes possible quick attachment and removal of the collecting bowl for cleaning, without influencing the water valve.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a watering arrangement for small animals, of the foregoing character, which has a substantially long operating life and may be economically maintained in service.